There are a number of different wireless communication technologies currently deployed by wireless network operators. These technologies include analog and digital time division multiple access (TDMA), which is commonly referred to as advanced mobile phone system (AMPS), Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), code division multiple access (CDMA), and the like. These types of systems are commonly referred to as second generation (2G) wireless communication technologies. Wireless network operators have made large investments into infrastructure equipment to support particular wireless communication technologies.
Numerous standards have been developed for third generation (3G) wireless communication technology, and there is currently much development for fourth generation (4G) wireless communication technology. Third and fourth generation wireless communication technologies are designed to provide greater efficiency and data capacity than second generation networks. Wireless network operators see deployment of third and fourth generation systems as a way to increase revenue by providing a greater variety of services, and in particular data-intensive services.
Although wireless network providers desire to deploy third and/or fourth generation networks, they must be particularly careful in the selection of a particular technology due to the large infrastructure investments required. Accordingly, wireless network operators are very hesitant to move to a new technology for fear of investing in one that is surpassed in capacity and data capacity by newer technologies.
Having a convergent unified broadband wireless technology in the future will prevent the fragmentation of wireless mobility market between several technologies. This is beneficial to wireless network operators by creating larger economies of scale, to vendors by creating a larger market for their products, and to end-users by reducing the cost of equipment and services. However, at some point in time multiple technologies may co-exist on the same network. Due to the heterogeneity in the wireless access technologies, allowing existing and future generation mobile technologies to co-exist on the same networks will become a critical challenge.